Get Informed about the Consolidation Commission

The upcoming consolidation of the Starkville and Oktibbeha County schools into a new Starkville Consolidated School District has been capturing a lot of attention in our community this year. And, rightly so! Regardless of where families choose to send their children to school, the quality of our public schools will impact virtually every citizen in the greater Starkville area. The Commission on Starkville Consolidated School District Structure will meet on Thursday, September 5^th at 5pm at the office of the Oktibbeha County School District to continue its work in developing recommendations for the workings of the new district.

The Greater Starkville Development Partnership has identified public education as one of the key drivers of economic development in our area, and as such, supporting local schools is one of our main goals in ensuring the continued success of Oktibbeha County’s economic growth. The Partnership encourages our members and stakeholders to stay informed about the consolidation process and the Commission’s work, and to seek out ways to get involved in the creation of the new district.

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Need a recap of the last Commission meeting and public forum? Parents for Public School of Starkville live-tweeted both meetings. VIEW #STKFORUM TWEETS

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So, what IS the Commission?

One of the key ways the Mississippi Legislature outlined for seeking input into how the expanded Starkville School District will be formed is through the creation of the Commission on Starkville Consolidated School District Structure. This 7-member panel was formed by House Bill 716 (the same bill which created the consolidated school district) to include a representative from the Mississippi Department of Education, three representatives from the Starkville School District, a resident of the former Oktibbeha County School District, the Oktibbeha County School District Conservator, and a representative of Mississippi State University.

According to House Bill 716, the Commission is charged with making recommendations about the provisions and transitions required for the new district in order to “improve both the quality of education and the efficiency with which it is delivered.” The Commission is required to submit a non-binding report outlining these recommendations to the Mississippi Legislature no later than March 1, 2014.

The Commission is tasked in HB716 with exploring four areas relevant to the consolidation effort, which will be addressed in its final report. These areas include a review of the current structure of school districts and location of schools, a review of the capital facility needs of both current districts as well as financing options, details about how consolidation can best be implemented, and finally, options for whether it is advisable for portions of the Oktibbeha County School District to be merged with districts in adjoining counties.

Are the Commission meetings public?

All Commission meetings are open to the public, and represent a great way for citizens, officials and stakeholders to stay informed about the work of this group empanelled by the Legislature.  This Thursday is the fifth meeting of the Commission, and will be held at the offices of the Oktibbeha County School District on Main Street in Starkville.

According to the preliminary agenda for Thursday’s meeting, the Commission will be discussing the options for merging portions of the County district with adjoining counties. Members will view maps pinpointing the physical residences of Oktibbeha County students, as well as hear from representatives from adjoining districts on the issue.

How can residents give feedback?

The Commission meeting is not a public form, so visitors will not be able to speak. However, the Commission has established an email address where concerned stakeholders may submit comments on items discussed in the meeting and general feedback on the consolidation effort. Comments may be submitted to starkville_oktibbeha@mde.k12.ms.us. The agenda for this week’s Commission meeting includes time devoted to discussion of email comments that have been sent to date.

On August 22, the Commission also hosted a community public forum at the Greensboro Center related to the consolidation effort that allowed citizens to speak for two minutes each. The comments were recorded by a court reporter and will be discussed at the Commission meeting this Thursday. The Commission also indicated at it’s meeting prior to the public forum on August 22 that additional public forums where community input could be given were under consideration, with some possibly occurring at locations in the County.

The process of school consolidation and the expansion of the Starkville School District promises to be a pivotal point in the growth of educational opportunities for all the children living in Starkville/Oktibbeha County.  Please consider attending this Thursday’s meeting of the Commission on Starkville Consolidated School District Structure, and stay informed about this important endeavor.

Author: Haley Montgomery